Closure for washing machine cylinders



Dec. 11, 1951 H. D. BROTMAN CLOSURE FOR WASHING MACHINE CYLINDERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 INVENTOR. /7" z /7 d/7 E ZS/diva.

Dec. 11, 1951 H, D. BROTMAN CLOSURE FOR WASHING MACHINE CYLINDERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 m 6 m W m5 W Z 2, MW #4 im m H. D. BROTMAN CLOSURE FOR WASHING MACHINE CYLINDERS Dec. 11, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 15, 1945 m m m m Patented Dec. 11, 1 951 CLOSURE FOR WASHING MACHINE CYLINDERS Hyman D. Brotman, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Horton Manufacturing Company, Fort Wayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application November 15, 1945, Serial No. 628,839

The invention relates to washing machines and it has particular relation to a clothes receiving cylinder to be employed particularly in a washing machine of the automatic type.

In an automatic washing machine such as that embodied in my copending application for patent, Serial No. 573,362, filed January 18, 1945, the clothes receiving cylinder is supported at opposite ends for rotation about a horizontal axis. The driving unit includes means for rotating the cylinder first in one direction through a plurality of revolutions and then reversing the rotation so as to rotate the cylinder a plurality of turns in the opposite direction. Such movements are continued during the washing and rinsing stages.

1 Claim. (Cl. 160206) Fig. 3 is an end view of the cylinder as seen from the right end in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on alarger scale taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on a larger scale taken substantially along the line 'l-'! of Fig. l;

To enable inserting and removing the clothes,

vide an improved type of clothes receiving receptacle or cylinder which may be manufactured inexpensively from sheet metal.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of clothes washing receptacle or cylinder which is light in weight while still possessing the required strength and rigidity neces sary to withstand the forces involved during operation of the washing machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clothes receiving receptacle having an improved type of closure for the opening through which the clothes are inserted and removed, wherein the closure may be quickly and easily opened through a folding movement thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of closure which may be positively locked in its closed position by locking means which may be easily released by the operator so as to permit the closure to be opened.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, from the drawings relating thereto, and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the drawings wherein;

Figure l is a plan view partly in cross section illustrating a clothes receiving cylinder constructed according. to one form of the invention; .Fig. 2 1s an end view, of the cylinder as seen from the left end in Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view on a larger scale showing a part of the closure and a locking means for holding the closure in closed position;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of the locking means in its unlocked position;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line Ill-40 of Fig. '8; and,

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line ll-ll of Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the cylinder primarily comprises two semi-cylindrical bands l0 and ll which are provided with outwardly directed mating flanges l2 and I3 at their longitudinal edges. These flanges are rigidly connected at longitudinally spaced points by spot welding indicated at l5, although it is evident that the flanges may be riveted if desired. The cylinder thus formed has inwardly pressed axially directed portions H5 at circumferentially spaced locations so as to provide radial bailles on the interior of the cylinder, and these baflles are useful in the clothes washing operation as they assist in carrying the clothes upwardly during rotation of the cylinder. Between the baflles the wall of the cylinder is provided with outwardly extruding and apertured projections [8 which are distributed generally over the cylinder wall to allow the water to freely enter and leave the cylinder.

As best seen by Figs. 2 and 4, the left end of the cylinder is closed by a generally concavoconvex disl; 2!) which at its outer margin has an axially directed flange 2| substantially fitting within the end of the cylinder wall. These fitting portions of the wall and disk are connected at circumferentially spaced points by rivets 22. Accurate location of the disk is effected by providing a circumferentially extending, inwardly directed head 23 on the cylinder wall which engages the disk at the end of the flange 2!, and this bead also acts to re-enforce the cylinder. Also for the purpose of re-eniorcement the outer portion of the disk is provided with radially (iirected pressed out beads 25', and it will be noted that the concave portion of the disk does not centrally between the disks.

3 extend entirely to its margin but terminates at a reverse bend 26. From the bend 26 to the outer marginal flange 2|, the disk is radially directed as indicated at 21.

Inwardly of the beads 25, the disk is secured to a second disk 28 which centrally fits against the surface of the main disk. Outwardly of the fitting central portion, the disk has an axial rim 29 which joins a radially directed wall portion 3| and this wall portion in turn joins an outer concave flange 32 which fits against the principal disk and is welded thereto. A bearing support for a driving shaft includes a plate 33 which generally is of disk form and this plate 33 at its outer margin seats on the radial portion 3| of the second disk and is bolted thereto at circumferentially spaced points as indicated at 34. For the purpose of sealing the two disks together, the radial portion 3| of the second disk has an annular groove 35 in which a rubber sealing ring 31 is disposed, and this sealing ring is under compression between the plate and disk so as to prevent water from entering into the space The plate 33 at its center has an axially projecting hub 39 which is welded at opposite sides to a sleeve 4!], and the latter serves as a support for a shaft supporting bearing 42.

The shalt, not shown, is adapted to extend through the bearing 42 and to have a spline en" gagement with a spline sleeve 43 which is welded to a disk 44. The latter fits between disks 16 and 41' projecting outwardly beyond the margin thereof and with particular reference to Figs. 4-.

and 6 together, the disk has its outer margin welded to the disk 33 at a plurality of points as indicated at 50. Also the disk 46 at spaced points has recesses 5i formed by notching of the metal and at such recesses the outer portion of the disk 41 has bent over or offset tongues 52 which are disposed in the plane of disk 16 and also welded to the disk 33. This arrangement provides a space between the two disks 46 and 41 to accommodate the disk 44.

At spaced points, the disk 46 and disk 45 have openings 56 and 57 respectively for accommodating coil springs 58, and the disk 4'! has corresponding pressed out portions 6!) to accommodate such springs. Also it will be noted that the plate 33 is shaped to house the spring as indicated at 6| The construction provides pockets formed in disks secured to the cylinder and springs in said pockets while the openings in disk 44' enable the latter to compress the spring upon relative movement between the disk 43 and the other disks. Four springs are provided and it should be evident now that the driving connection between the spline sleeve 43 and end closure 26 of the cylinder is cushioned and that upon any reversing of the cylinder, the inertia forces may be cushioned through the springs.

The opposite end of the cylinder is closed by a concavo-convex disk 65 which has its marginal portion secured to the other end of the cylinder in the same manner as previously described in connection with the disk 20. This end of the cylinder is supported by a stub shaft 36 and the inner end of the stub shaft is mounted in a disk plate 6'! having an outer marginal portion 68 welded to the central portion of the disk. The shaft is supported intermediate its ends by a third disk 69 having a marginal portion 0 welded to the disk 85. A supporting disk ii is welded to the inner portionof theidisk E9 and both of the disks 67 and have hubs such "as 4 indicated at 12, which may be welded to the shaft 66 or otherwise rigidly secured thereto.

The cylinder is provided with an opening in its side wall as indicated in broken lines at I3 in 8 so that clothes maybe placed in the cylinder and removed therefrom. This opening is adapted to be closed by a closure generally indicated at 14 which includes two sections I5 and i6 hinged together by an ordinary piano type hinge H. The section 15, as shown by Fig. 1, is hinged to the cylinder wall bya suitable piano type hinge indicated at 18 and it should follow, therefore, that the two sections may be moved from a closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to an open position shown in broken lines in this figure. It may be noted at this point that the ends of both sections are shaped to provide beads indicated at 19, and this is desirable particularly in that it re-enforces the sections in a circumferential direction.

The closure is adapted to be locked in closed position by a locking means which includes op.- positely movable bars and BI which project from opposite ends of a pan or housing 82, having side flanges 83 welded to the cover section 1 I. The ends of this pan are narrowed as indicated at 84. so that the bars are guided by such narrow sections, and intermediate its ends, the pan is widened and the two bars are angled so that their inner ends are disposed in spaced relation in a direction circumferentially of the cylinder. The inner end of the bar 80 has a notch .85 and the inner end of the bar 8| has a notch 86, and these notches respectively engage pins 81 and 88 projecting downwardly from a knob 90 as seen best in Fig. 7. Such knob is mounted on a central portion of the pan 82 and is turnably secured thereto by a pin 9| extending downwardly through an opening in the knob and which is secured to the upper wall of the pan by a cap screw 92. The pin 9| has a head 93 on its upper end which is disposed in an enlarged end of the opening in the knob and it follows that while the cap is secured to the pan, it is turnable thereon.

The lower part of the opening in the knob is enlarged as indicated at 95 and within this larger part of the opening a coil spring 96 is located. One end of this spring, as indicated at 97, is hook shaped and engages an opening 98 in the wall of the pan, while the upper end of the spring as indicated at 99, projects into a radial opening I00 in the wall of the knob. The arrangement is such that the spring normally tends to move the bars 80 and BI outwardly and when the knob is turned clockwise, as seen in Fig. 8, to retract the bars, the spring resists this movement.

At their outer ends, the bars engage keepers which form part of a guide means for the closure and this structure now will be described.

With particular reference to Figs. 8, 10 and 11, the wall of the cylinder along opposite ends of the opening 13 is formed with circumferentially extending grooves I92 and I03, and these grooves respectively engage rollers I04 and H15 mounted on opposite ends of a shaft H16. This shaft extends through a curled bead I01 formed on the end of the cover section 16. Each of the rollers is retained in its groove by a guide element I03 having an overhanging portion I09 for substantially contacting the upper side of the roller, and this guide may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the cylinder. It follows that in opening and closingthe, closure, the rollers will hold the end of thesection 13 next to the-cylinder wall and due to the curved condition of the closure.

sections, any upward movement of the section 16 as seen in Fig. 8 naturally will cause the sections to fold in the manner shown by Fig. 3.

Each of the bars 80 and 8| terminates in an upwardly offset end portion I H which is adapted to project under the overhanging portion I09 of the guide I98 and with the bars positioned as seen in Fig. 10, the closure cannot be opened because the section 19 cannot move upwardly. For the purpose of re-enforcing the guide I08 over the ends of the bars, auxiliary bracket elements H2 are fastened to the guides I08, so as to provide a more rigid abutment or stop above the ends of the bars.

From the foregoing description with respect to the locking means, it should be evident that the knob may be turned so as to retract the bars from engagement with the abutments on the side guiding elements and that then the section may be lifted by pulling upwardly on the knob. This lifting movement of the section 16 causes the sections to fold about the hinge TI and at the same time, the rollers move along the guideways therefor which causes the sections to move into the positions shown by Fig. 3. After the clothes are removed or inserted as the case may be, the cover is closed and the knob is turned counterclockwise suificiently to move the bars into locking position so that the cover will not accidentally become unlocked during operation of the washing machine.

The cylinder may be made out of an aluminum alloy or metal of similar light character and the metal may be anodized to prevent deterioration I prevent the efiects of electrolytic action such as may occur in the use of clothes washing solutions.

Although only one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claim.

What is claimed is:

A closure for an opening in the cylindrical wall of a cylindrical container, comprising a pair of arcuate sections hinged to each other in end-toend relation with the free end of one section hinged to said wall at one end of said opening, channel-shape guideways extending along the respective side edges of the opening, means on the free end of the other section projecting into said guideways to confine said end to the surface of said wall during opening and closing movement, a pair of bars mounted on one of said sections and circumferentially spaced from said means, said bars being movable parallel to the axis of the cylinder and engageable in the respective guideways to hold the sections against hinging movement, and means for simultaneously moving said bars into and out of locking position.

HYMAN D. BROTMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,726,181 Jaxheimer Aug. 27, 1929 1,814,724 McCormick July 14, 1931 1,979,361 Allman Nov. 6, 1934 2,082,921 Vetorino June 8, 1937 2,241,179 Brenkert May 6, 1941 2,411,419 Frohnapel Nov. 19, 1946 

